Ultra-low water input oil sands recovery process

ABSTRACT

A method of processing oil sands material including bitumen. The method includes subjecting the oil sands material to a predistillation process. The predistillation process includes heating the oil sands material to between approximately 350° C. and approximately 400° C., to produce atmospheric gas oil from the bitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material, and heating the intermediate dried oil sands material to between approximately 535° C. and at least approximately 600° C., to produce vacuum gas oil and coked oil sands material comprising carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand. The method also includes subjecting the coked oil sands material to gasification, to produce barren hot oil sands material, and syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a system and a method for processing oil sandsin which oil sands material is subjected to a predistillation process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is well known in the art, the typical systems and methods forprocessing oil sands are relatively complex, and require significantwater and energy inputs. In particular, the typical processes involvethe use and contamination of large volumes of water and the creation oflarge waste (tailings) ponds. Large volumes of CO₂ emissions (andemissions of other gases, e.g., NO_(x), SO_(x), and H₂S) are generatedby heating the large volumes of water by combustion of fossil fuels, tothe extent that oil sands processing has become a major contributor ofCO₂ emissions. Because the conventional systems and methods typicallyinvolve transporting oil sands, and waste sand resulting from theprocessing thereof, over relatively large distances, significantmaintenance costs are also incurred due to the abrasion to whichequipment is subjected.

A typical process of the prior art is schematically illustrated inFIG. 1. (As will be described, the balance of the drawings illustratethe present invention.) At the step identified as 21, oil sands areexcavated. In step 22, the excavated oil sand is transported to the orepreparation plant 24, where the ore (i.e., excavated oil sand) isscreened and crushed as required. As is well known in the art, variousmeans may be used for the excavation of the oil sands and itstransportation to the ore preparation plant 24.

In connection with conventional processing, hot water (typically heatedby natural gas) is also added, at step 26. As is well known in the art,a large amount of water is used in this step. In step 28, a portion ofthe sand is separated from crude bitumen (i.e., liquid or semi-solid rawpetroleum) in the oil sand. More hot water is added at the initialseparation of sand and bitumen, at step 30. Following sedimentation(step 32), the waste is sent to a waste pond (step 34). The bitumen, andthe portion of the sand remaining with the bitumen at this point, isthen cleaned (step 36). In this step, the sand typically is cleaned withnaphtha, to remove any bitumen remaining with the sand at this point.The sand removed in this step is also sent to sedimentation (step 38),and subsequently to the waste pond (step 40).

The bitumen remaining is then upgraded (step 42), and the bitumen issubsequently mixed with diluents to form “dilbit” (step 44). Thediluents are less viscous than the bitumen, so that the viscosity of thedilbit is such that the dilbit can be pumped. The dilbit mixture ofdiluents and bitumen is then transported to a refinery (step 46), atwhich the bitumen and the diluents are separated, and the bitumen isrefined to produce high-value products. Such high-value productsinclude, for example, gasoline, diesel fuel, naphtha, and petrochemicalfeedstock.

The many disadvantages of the conventional processing described aboveare well known in the art. For instance, the conventional processesconsume up to five barrels of water for every barrel of extractedbitumen. The waste ponds (also referred to as tailings ponds) requiredin connection with conventional processing cover large areas and emittoxic compounds such as volatile organic compounds and toxic effluentsto the surrounding environment (e.g., into the Athabasca River). Thewidespread modified landscapes resulting from mining are also sources ofharmful substances, and substantial costs are incurred in connectionwith reclamation efforts.

In addition, the diluents used in the dilbit (i.e., to reduce viscosity)are high-value products that could be profitably used elsewhere.

As is well known in the art, the dilbit typically is transportedthousands of kilometers via pipeline or railroads. This necessitycreates significant risks, the most important of which is the risk ofenvironmental damage due to a break or leak. Because of the nature ofthe components of dilbit, a spill of dilbit into the environmenttypically has serious consequences. When dilbit is released in anuncontrolled manner, the dilbit is initially relatively less viscous(i.e., due to its diluents content), and readily drains into the groundor water near the pipeline. However, shortly after the dilbit's releaseand drainage into the ground, the diluents tend to escape into theatmosphere, ultimately resulting in a more viscous residue (consistingprimarily of the bitumen in the dilbit) distributed in the soil orwater. As a practical matter, remediation of the viscous residue isdifficult.

The activities in a group identified as “A” in FIG. 1 typically may takeplace within distances in the order of about 10 kilometers. Theactivities in the group identified in FIG. 1 as group “B” conventionallyare carried out at greater distances, e.g., such activities may becarried out at distances that are on the order of hundreds of kilometersapart. Also, the activities in group “C” usually are carried out atdistances on the order of thousands of kilometers apart. Accordingly, totransport the materials in question requires additional energyconsumption, adding to processing costs and also resulting in furtherCO₂ emissions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is a need for a system that overcomes or mitigates one or more ofthe disadvantages or defects of the prior art. Such disadvantages ordefects are not necessarily included in those described above.

In its broad aspect, the invention provides a method of processing oilsands material including bitumen. The method includes subjecting the oilsands material to a predistillation process. The predistillation processincludes heating the oil sands material to between approximately 350° C.and approximately 400° C., to produce atmospheric gas oil from thebitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material, and heating theintermediate dried oil sands material to between approximately 535° C.and at least approximately 600° C., to produce vacuum gas oil and cokedoil sands material including carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand. Themethod also includes subjecting the coked oil sands material togasification, to produce barren hot oil sands material, and syngasincluding hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases.

In another of its aspects, the invention provides a method of processingraw oil sands material including free water and bitumen produced from amine. The method includes preheating oil sands material including theraw oil sands material to between approximately 100° C. andapproximately 150° C. to convert the free water to steam, to release thefree water from the oil sands material and to provide dried oil sandsmaterial. Also, in a first predistillation step, the dried oil sandsmaterial is heated to between approximately 350° C. and approximately400° C. to partially vaporize the bitumen, to provide atmospheric gasoil from the bitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material. In asecond predistillation step, the intermediate dried oil sands materialis heated to between approximately 535° C. and at least approximately600° C. to further partially vaporize the bitumen, to provide vacuum gasoil, and coked oil sands material including carbon-heavy hydrocarbonsand sand. The method also includes, in a gasifier, heating the coked oilsands material to approximately 900° C. for gasification thereof, toprovide syngas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases retainingsyngas heat energy therein, and barren hot oil sands material retainingsand heat energy therein.

In yet another of its aspects, the invention provides a system forprocessing raw oil sands material including free water and bitumenproduced from a mine. The system includes a predistiller in which oilsands material including the raw oil sands material is heated to betweenapproximately 350° C. and approximately 400° C. in a firstpredistillation process, to produce atmospheric gas oil from thebitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material, and in which theintermediate dried oil sands material is heated to between approximately535° C. and at least approximately 600° C. to produce vacuum gas oil andcoked oil sands material including carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand.The system additionally includes a gasifier in which the coked oil sandsmaterial is heated to approximately 900° C. to gasify the carbon-heavyhydrocarbons, to produce syngas including hydrogen and carbon monoxidegases and barren hot oil sands material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood with reference to the attacheddrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 (also described previously) is a block diagram illustrating stepsof the conventional process;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method of theinvention;

FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system of theinvention;

FIG. 2C is a block diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of amethod of the invention;

FIG. 2D is a block diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of asystem of the invention;

FIG. 2E is a block diagram illustrating additional alternative inputsinto the gasification step of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of amethod of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a part of an alternativeembodiment of a method of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of amethod of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating another alternative embodiment ofa method of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating another alternative embodiment ofa method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the attached drawings, like reference numerals designatecorresponding elements throughout. Reference is first made to FIG. 2A todescribe an embodiment of a method in accordance with the inventionindicated generally by the numeral 150. In FIG. 2A, the method 150 ofthe invention is illustrated by an operational flow chart. The method150 is for processing oil sands material 151 including bitumen, andincludes subjecting the oil sands material 151 to a predistillationprocess 152. In one embodiment, the oil sands material 151 preferably isheated to between approximately 350° C. and approximately 400° C. (step154), to produce atmospheric gas oil 156 from the bitumen, andintermediate dried oil sands material 158. Preferably, the intermediatedried oil sands material 158 is heated to between approximately 535° C.and at least approximately 600° C. (step 160), to produce vacuum gas oil162 and coked oil sands material 164 including carbon-heavy hydrocarbonsand sand. It is also preferred that the coked oil sands material 164 issubjected to gasification (step 166), to produce barren hot oil sandsmaterial 168, and syngas 170 including hydrogen and carbon monoxidegases.

In one embodiment, the atmospheric gas oil 156 preferably is refined(FIG. 2A, step 172) to provide one or more of liquefied petroleum gas(LPG) and gasoline. It is also preferred that the vacuum gas oil 162 isrefined (step 174) to provide one or more of jet fuel, diesel fuel, andgas oil.

Because of the temperature gradient of the predistillation process 152,the atmospheric gas oil 156 and the vacuum gas oil 162 are producedsequentially in the process. The atmospheric gas oil 156 and the vacuumgas oil 162 therefore may be captured substantially separately, andsubsequently processed (i.e., refined) separately, in steps 172 and 174respectively.

Alternatively, it is possible to subject the oil sands material 151 to apredistillation process in which the atmospheric gas oil and the vacuumgas oil are not captured separately. For example, the oil sands material151 may be heated to between approximately 535° C. and at leastapproximately 600° C., producing a mixture of the volatiles (i.e., amixture of the atmospheric gas oil and the vacuum gas oil). In thesecircumstances, the atmospheric gas oil would be produced when the oilsands material is heated to between approximately 350° C. andapproximately 400° C., and the vacuum gas oil would be produced when theoil sands material is further heated to between approximately 535° C.and at least approximately 600° C. In this alternative arrangement, theatmospheric gas oil and the vacuum gas oil would then be subjected tofurther processing together, to produce various petroleum products.Although this alternative may impose some limitations or additionalrequirements in the further processing of the atmospheric gas oil andthe vacuum gas oil, it may be acceptable in some circumstances.

In one embodiment, the syngas 170 preferably is further subjected to oneor more gas-to-liquid processes (step 115) to provide one or more ofgasoline, diesel fuel, naphtha, and petrochemical feedstock.

In summary, in the method of the invention, volatiles (in the form ofthe atmospheric gas oil and the vacuum gas oil) are removed from oilsands material including bitumen by heating the oil sands material, in apredistillation process. The volatiles may be further processed toproduce petroleum products. Coked oil sands material is also producedfrom the predistillation process. The coked oil sands material issubjected to a gasification process, in which molecule-changing chemicalreactions provide a syngas that also may be further processed to producepetroleum products. Advantageously, the invention does not require thelarge inputs of water that are required in the prior art. Once themethods of the invention are functioning in a steady state, the energyrequirements may be satisfied to a large extent by recovering energyfrom different products and by-products of the methods.

It will be understood that the oil sands material 151 preferablyincludes raw oil sands material 178, produced from a mine 180 (FIG. 2B).It is believed that, as a practical matter, comminution and screening ofthe oil sands material would generally be desirable. As will bedescribed, the oil sands material 151 preferably is comminuted to apredetermined particle size range prior to subjecting the oil sandsmaterial 158 to the predistillation process 152. The comminution andscreening preferably is effected via one or more crushers and screensreferred to generally by reference numeral 181 in FIG. 2B. Those skilledin the art would appreciate that the predetermined particle size rangeis determined based on a number of factors, e.g., energy consumption.The size of the particles is reduced to an optimum particle size range,to increase the surface area of the particles, and also for exposure ofthe bitumen, for its ultimate release.

Preferably, and as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the raw oil sands material178 is comminuted, prior to preheating, and screened so that only theparticles of the raw oil sands material 178 below a predeterminedparticle size are included in the oil sand material.

Those skilled in the art would also appreciate that the “sand” componentof the oil sands may include various rock and soil materials, e.g., bothsand (i.e., relatively small rock and/or mineral particles) and clay. Asis also well known in the art, in addition to the bitumen thereof, theoil sands material typically also includes free water. The free watercontent varies, depending on a number of factors. For example, the freewater content may be approximately 4 percent by weight.

An embodiment of a system 194 of the invention is schematicallyillustrated in FIG. 2D. The system 194 is for processing raw oil sandsmaterial 178 including free water and bitumen produced from the mine 180in accordance with the method 150 of the invention. In one embodiment,the system 194 preferably includes a predistiller 182 in which the oilsands material 151 including the raw oil sands material 178 is heated tobetween approximately 350° C. and approximately 400° C. in a firstpredistillation process, to produce atmospheric gas oil 156 from thebitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material 158, and in which theintermediate dried oil sands material 158 is heated to betweenapproximately 535° C. and at least approximately 600° C. to producevacuum gas oil 162 and coked oil sands material 164 includingcarbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand (FIG. 2A). The system 194 alsoincludes a gasifier 184 in which the coked oil sands material 164 isheated to approximately 900° C. to gasify the carbon-heavy hydrocarbons,to produce syngas 170 including hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases andbarren hot oil sands material 168 (FIG. 2A).

As will be described, in embodiments of the invention, heat energy is atleast partially recoverable from certain products of the methods of theinvention, and utilized elsewhere in the invention. Also, in certaincircumstances (described below), the introduction of additionalmaterials or substances retaining heat energy (e.g., hot air, or steam)may be advantageous. The recovery of part of the heat energy fromcertain products of the invention, and the utilization of heat energyfrom steam or hot air introduced into the system, preferably is effectedvia an energy recovery system (“ERS”).

In an alternative embodiment of the system 294 (FIG. 2B), the system 294additionally includes a preheater 286 in which the oil sands material151 is preheated before the preheated (i.e., dried) oil sands material288 is moved into a predistiller 182. The system 294 is for processingthe oil sands material 151 in accordance with an alternative embodimentof a method 250 of the invention (FIG. 2C), as will be described.

For instance, in one embodiment, the appropriately sized raw oil sandsmaterial 178 preferably is mixed in the mixer/preheater 286 (FIG. 2B)with the barren hot oil sands material 168 to provide dried oil sandsmaterial 288. Before it is introduced into the mixer/preheater 286, thetemperature of the raw oil sands material is substantially the same asthe ambient atmospheric temperature. Because the barren hot oil sandsmaterial 168 is relatively hot, however, upon the mixture thereof withthe raw oil sands material in the mixer/preheater 286, heat istransferred from the barren hot oil sands material 168 to the raw oilsands material 178. For instance, the raw oil sands material 178 mayhave a temperature of approximately 25° C., and the barren hot oil sandsmaterial 168 may have a temperature of approximately 900° C., when itexits the gasifier 184. The temperature of the dried oil sands material288 exiting the mixer/preheater 286 may be, for example, approximately90° C. Those skilled in the art would appreciate that, to the extentthat heat energy in the barren hot oil sands material 168 is recovered,the energy inputs required during the predistillation process 152 arereduced.

In an alternative embodiment schematically illustrated in FIG. 2C, theinvention provides the method 250 of processing the raw oil sandsmaterial 178. The raw oil sands material 178 includes the free water andthe bitumen and is produced from the mine 180, as noted above. Themethod 250 preferably includes preheating the oil sands material 151(which includes the raw oil sands material 178) to between approximately100° C. and approximately 150° C., to provide the dried oil sandsmaterial 288 (FIG. 2C, step 292). As noted above, the preheating may beeffected, for example, by mixing at least a portion of the barren hotoil sands material 168 with the raw oil sands material 178. The movementof the barren hot oil sands material 168 from the gasifier 184 to themixer/preheater 286 for this purpose is schematically represented byarrow “D” in FIGS. 2B, 2C. In addition to transferring heat to the rawoil sands material 178, the preheating converts the free water to steam290. In this way, the free water is released from the oil sands material151. Preferably, in a first predistillation step 254 of apredistillation process 252, the dried oil sands material 288 is heatedin the predistiller 182 to between approximately 350° C. andapproximately 400° C. to partially vaporize the bitumen, to provide theatmospheric gas oil 156 from the bitumen, and also to provide theintermediate dried oil sands material 158. In a second predistillationstep 260, the intermediate dried oil sands material 158 preferably isheated to between approximately 535° C. and at least approximately 600°C. to further at least partially vaporize the bitumen, to provide thevacuum gas oil 162, and also to provide the coked oil sands material164. As noted above, the coked oil sands material 164 includescarbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand. It will be understood that theatmospheric gas oil 156 and the vacuum gas oil 162 are refined inseparate steps 172, 174, to produce respective high value productstherefrom, as indicated in FIG. 2C.

It is also preferred that the method 250 additionally includes the stepof, in the gasifier 184 (FIG. 2D), heating the coked oil sands material164 to approximately 900° C. for gasification thereof, to provide thesyngas 170, and the barren hot oil sands material 168. The syngas 170includes hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases and retains syngas heatenergy therein. The barren hot oil sands material 168 retains sand heatenergy therein. (FIG. 2C, step 166). Upon exiting the gasifier 184, eachof the syngas 170 and the barren hot oil sands material 168 is at atemperature of approximately 900° C. Accordingly, at that point, each ofthe syngas 170 and the barren hot oil sands material 168 retainssubstantial heat energy respectively.

In one embodiment, the steam 290 preferably is added to the coked oilsands 164 during the gasification thereof, to provide at least a portionof the hydrogen gas in the syngas 170 (FIG. 2C). The injection of thesteam 290 into the gasifier 184 is schematically represented by thedashed arrow “E” in FIG. 2C. It will be understood that utilizing thesteam 290 in this way results in a recovery of some of the heat energyused to generate the steam.

In another embodiment, and as noted above, the oil sands material 151preferably also includes at least a portion of the barren hot oil sandsmaterial 168, and the preheating is at least partially effected bytransfer of a portion of the sand heat energy to the raw oil sandsmaterial 178 (FIG. 2C). The recycling of at least part of the barren hotoil sands material 168 to the preheater 286 is schematically illustratedby arrow “D” in FIGS. 2B and 2C. Those skilled in the art wouldappreciate that the transfer of heat from the barren hot oil sandsmaterial 168 to the raw oil sands material 178 may be effected via anysuitable heat transfer method(s).

In another alternative embodiment, at least a portion of the heat energyin the barren hot oil sands material 168 preferably is transferred tothe dried oil sands material 288 (FIG. 2C). The recycling of the barrenhot oil sands material 168 to the first predistillation step 154 isschematically illustrated in FIG. 2C by arrow “F”. Those skilled in theart would appreciate that the transfer of heat from the barren hot oilsands material 168 to the dried oil sands material 288 may be effectedvia any suitable heat transfer method(s).

It will be understood that, in connection with the method 150 of theinvention, the barren hot oil sands material 168 may be recycled to thefirst predistillation step 154, to recover at least a portion of theheat energy retained in the barren hot oil sands material 168. In FIG.2A, the recycling of the barren hot oil sands material 168 to the firstpredistillation step 154, to transfer heat therefrom to the oil sandsmaterial 151, is schematically illustrated by arrow “F₁”. Those skilledin the art would appreciate that the transfer of heat from the barrenhot oil sands material 168 to the oil sands material 151 in the firstpredistillation step 154 may be effected via any suitable heat transfermethod(s).

It is also preferred that at least a portion of the heat energy in thebarren hot oil sands material 168 is transferred to the intermediatedried oil sands material 158 (FIG. 2C). In FIG. 2C, the recycling of thebarren hot oil sands material 168 to the second predistillation step160, to transfer heat therefrom to the intermediate oil sands material158, is schematically illustrated by arrow “G”. Those skilled in the artwould appreciate that such heat transfer may be effected via anysuitable method(s).

It will be understood that a portion of the heat energy in the barrenhot oil sands material 168 may also be utilized in the secondpredistillation step 160 of the method 150. In FIG. 2A, the recycling ofthe barren hot oil sands material 168 to the second predistillation step160, to transfer heat therefrom to the intermediate oil sands material158, is schematically illustrated by arrow “G₁”. Those skilled in theart would appreciate that such heat transfer may be effected via anysuitable method(s).

It is also preferred that, prior to the gasification of the coked oilsands material 164, at least a portion of the syngas heat energy frompreviously produced syngas 170 is transferred to the coked oil sandsmaterial 164, to heat the coked oil sands material 164 to betweenapproximately 650° C. and approximately 750° C. (FIG. 2C). In FIG. 2C,the recycling of the barren hot oil sands material 168 to heat the cokedoil sands 164, to transfer heat therefrom to the coked oil sandsmaterial 164, is schematically illustrated by arrow “H”. Those skilledin the art would appreciate that such heat transfer may be effected viaany suitable method(s).

It will be understood that a portion of the heat energy in the barrenhot oil sands material 168 may also be utilized to heat the coked oilsands material 164 in the method 150, illustrated in FIG. 2A. In FIG.2A, the recycling of the barren hot oil sands material 168 to heat thecoked oil sands 164, to transfer heat therefrom to the coked oil sandsmaterial 164, is schematically illustrated by arrow “H₁”. Those skilledin the art would appreciate that such heat transfer may be effected viaany suitable method(s).

Other means for adding heat energy at selected points in the method ofthe invention may be advantageous, depending on the circumstances. Forinstance, in one embodiment, the method of the invention preferably alsoincludes heating fresh water (FIG. 2E, step 301) to betweenapproximately 450° C. and approximately 500° C. to generate fresh watersteam 303 (FIG. 2E), and injecting the fresh water steam 303 into thegasifier 184 (FIG. 2C, step 297). It will be understood that the steammay be generated using any suitable source of heat. Preferably, thesteam is generated utilizing heat transferred from the hot syngas 170and/or from the barren hot oil sands material 168. Those skilled in theart would appreciate that heating fresh water to provide fresh watersteam may be an additional step in either of the methods 150 or 250 ofthe invention described above.

In another embodiment of the method of the invention, air preferably isheated to between approximately 650° C. and approximately 750° C. (FIG.2E, step 305) to generate hot air 307 (FIG. 2E), and injecting the hotair into the gasifier 184 (FIG. 2E). It will be understood that the hotair may be generated using any suitable source of heat. Preferably, theair is heated utilizing heat transferred from the hot syngas 170 and/orfrom the barren hot oil sands material 168. Those skilled in the artwould appreciate that heating air to provide hot air may be anadditional step in either of the methods 150 or 250 of the inventiondescribed above.

Those skilled in the art would appreciate that the composition of thesyngas 170 as generated by gasification may not be consistent with adesired composition (i.e., desired for purposes of further processing).The composition of the syngas 170 may be altered in a syngas balancer109 (FIG. 2D). In one embodiment, the method 150 of the inventionpreferably includes mixing the syngas 170 with one or more additionalgases 111 to produce a balanced syngas 170′ that includes preselectedgases in predetermined proportions (FIG. 2D). It will be understood thatthe further processing of the syngas 170′ may be any suitableprocessing.

However, it has been determined that, in one embodiment, the additionalgas(es) 111 preferably includes a natural gas-derived syngas resultingfrom combustion of natural gas.

As an example, it may be intended to direct the syngas 170 to agas-to-liquids facility 113 (FIG. 2D). Preferably, the balanced syngasis subjected to a gas-to-liquids process 115 to provide one or more ofgasoline, diesel fuel, naphtha, and petrochemical feedstock.

Those skilled in the art would appreciate that the syngas 170 and/or thebalanced syngas 170′ may be processed in any suitable way, in anysuitable facility. The gas-to-liquids facility is one example of afacility in which the syngas and/or balanced syngas may be furtherprocessed.

It may be necessary or advisable to utilize one or more secondarycrushers 117, to provide the coked oil sands material 164 in a formsuitable for gasification. As illustrated in FIG. 2D, an embodiment ofthe system 194 of the invention preferably includes the secondarycrusher 117, for comminuting the coked oil sands material 164 so thatonly the coked oil sands material 164 below a preselected particle sizeare subjected to the gasification. Those skilled in the art wouldappreciate that the preselected particle size is determined based on anumber of factors, e.g., energy consumption. The size of the particlesis reduced to an optimum particle size range, to increase the surfacearea of the particles, and also for exposure of the carbon-heavyhydrocarbons. It will be understood that, although the secondary crusher117 may be considered optional, as a practical matter, it may berequired to make the coked oil sands material 164 suitable forgasification.

It will also be understood that, in one embodiment, the barren hot oilsands material 168 preferably is transported to the mine 180 forbackfilling therein. Those skilled in the art would appreciate that thebarren hot oil sands material 168 would have the advantage (i.e., overbackfilling using the prior art materials) that it is accompanied byvirtually no water.

The method 250 of the invention was modeled, and the results areprovided in Tables 1 and 2 below. The results are also schematicallyillustrated in FIGS. 3-5. (The data set out in Table 1 is schematicallyillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the data set out in Table 2 isschematically illustrated in FIG. 5.) Based on the modeling, the methodsof the invention appear to offer a number of advantages, as will bedescribed.

TABLE 1 Material and Energy Balance for an embodiment of the Method ofthe Invention Including Temperature Ranges. Temperature Pressure No.Streams T, C. Range, C. M (kg/h) Range, kPa 1 Bitumen 25 25 5,000 100 2Sand 25 25 45,000 100 3 Hot Sand 900 800-900 5,032 100 4 Air 25 25 — 1005 Water Vapor 100 100-150 2,000 80-100 6 Bitumen-H₂O 100 100-150 5,000100 7 Sand 100 100-150 48,032 100 8 Hot Sand 900 800-900 37,022 100 9Hot Sand 100 100-150 37,022 100 10 AGO 350 350-400 850 80-100 11 VGO 535535-600 1,550 80-100 12 Resid 700 700-750 2,600 100 13 Sand 700 700-75048,032 100 14 H₂O (Steam) 500 450-500 2,000 100-150  15 H₂O (Steam) 500450-500 820 100-150  16 Air 700 700-750 6,507 100-150  17 Syngas 900800-900 11,927 100 18 Hot Sand 900 800-900 48,032 100 19 Hot Sand 900800-900 5,978 100 20 Water Pond 100  70-100 — 80-100

TABLE 2 Energy Stream and Exit Temperature Ranges of Inlet and OutletStreams of Heat Recovery. Heat Energy Stream, Exit Temperature No.Exchanger MJ/h Range, C. 1 E-101  970-1,846  57-87.3 2 E-102 485-52171.2-104.8 3 E-103 3,032-3,318  173-214.4 4 E-104 85-87 Air: 150-186Water: 90-100 5 E-105 260-275 Air: 153-188.9 Water: 25-100 6 E-106327-515 Air: 162-197.4 Steam: 160-204 7 E-107 6,375 Water Phase Change @100 C. Syngas: 232-231.9 8 E-108 3,885-3,765 Air: 700-747.7 Syngas:900-176 9 E-109 9,510 — 10 E-110 1,940 Steam: 500-540 Syngas: 160-197.4

The method 150 of the invention is also schematically illustrated inFIG. 6, and the method 250 of the invention is also schematicallyillustrated in FIG. 7. As can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, each of thesemethods preferably includes utilizing the energy recovery system (alsoreferred to in FIGS. 6 and 7 as “ERS”) in which heat energy is at leastpartially recovered, as described above.

Among the benefits and advantages of the processes of the invention arethe following.

-   -   (a) Overall water use is significantly reduced, resulting in the        elimination of large tailings ponds.    -   (b) Carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere are significantly        reduced.    -   (c) Maintenance costs incurred due to abrasion by the sand are        reduced, because most of the processing is done in the vicinity        of the mine.    -   (d) With sand recovery from processing occurring relatively        close to the mine, the sand can be transported to the mine as        landfill, facilitating reclamation at the mine.    -   (e) High-value products are not needed for use as diluents, for        dilbit transport.    -   (f) Energy consumption during processing is reduced.    -   (g) The long-distance transportation of dilbit is eliminated.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the inventioncan take many forms, and that such forms are within the scope of theinvention as claimed. The scope of the claims should not be limited bythe preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be giventhe broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

We claim:
 1. A method of processing raw oil sands material comprisingbitumen, the method comprising: (a) subjecting an oil sands materialcomprising the raw oil sands material to a predistillation processcomprising: (i) heating the oil sands material to between approximately350° C. and approximately 400° C., to produce atmospheric gas oil fromthe bitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material; (ii) heating theintermediate dried oil sands material to between approximately 535° C.and at least approximately 600° C., to produce vacuum gas oil and cokedoil sands material comprising carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand; (b)heating the coked oil sands material to approximately 900° C., toproduce a dry barren hot oil sands material; and syngas comprisinghydrogen and carbon monoxide gases; and (c) mixing the barren hot oilsands material with the raw oil sands material to form the oil sandsmaterial, for transfer of heat energy from the barren hot oil sandsmaterial to the raw oil sands material for partially heating the oilsands material in the predistillation process.
 2. A method according toclaim 1 additionally comprising: (d) refining the atmospheric gas oil toprovide at least one of liquefied petroleum gas and gasoline; and (e)refining the vacuum gas oil to provide at least one of jet fuel, dieselfuel, and gas oil.
 3. A method according to claim 1 in which the syngasis further subjected to at least one gas-to-liquid process to provide atleast one of gasoline, diesel fuel, naphtha, and petrochemicalfeedstock.
 4. A method of processing raw oil sands material comprisingfree water and bitumen produced from a mine, comprising: (a) preheatinga preheat oil sands material comprising the raw oil sands material tobetween approximately 100° C. and approximately 150° C. to convert thefree water to steam, to release the free water from the raw oil sandsmaterial and to form a dried oil sands material from the preheat oilsands material; (b) in a first predistillation step, heating the driedoil sands material to between approximately 350° C. and approximately400° C. to partially vaporize the bitumen, to provide atmospheric gasoil from the bitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material; (c) ina second predistillation step, heating the intermediate dried oil sandsmaterial to between approximately 535° C. and at least approximately600° C. to further at least partially vaporize the bitumen, to providevacuum gas oil, and coked oil sands material comprising carbon-heavyhydrocarbons and sand; (d) in a gasifier, heating the coked oil sandsmaterial to approximately 900° C. for gasification thereof, to providesyngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases retaining syngasheat energy therein, and a dry barren hot oil sands material retainingsand heat energy therein; and (e) mixing at least a portion of thebarren hot oil sands material with the raw oil sands material to formthe preheat oil sands material for transferring at least a portion ofthe sand heat energy to the raw oil sands material, to at leastpartially preheat the preheat oil sands material.
 5. A method accordingto claim 4 in which the steam is added to the coked oil sands materialduring the gasification thereof, to provide at least a portion of thehydrogen gas in the syngas.
 6. A method according to claim 4 in which atleast a part of the sand heat energy in the barren oil sands material istransferred to the dried oil sands material in the first predistillationstep.
 7. A method according to claim 4 in which at least a part of thesand heat energy in the barren oil sands material is transferred to theintermediate dried oil sands material in the second predistillationstep.
 8. A method according to claim 4 in which, prior to thegasification of the coked oil sands material, at least a portion of thesyngas heat energy from previously produced syngas is transferred to thecoked oil sands material, to heat the coked oil sands material tobetween approximately 650° C. and approximately 750° C.
 9. A methodaccording to claim 4 additionally comprising heating fresh water tobetween approximately 450° C. and approximately 500° C. to generatefresh water steam, and injecting the fresh water steam into thegasifier.
 10. A method according to claim 4 additionally comprisingheating air to between approximately 650° C. and approximately 750° C.to generate hot air, and injecting the hot air into the gasifier.
 11. Amethod according to claim 4 additionally comprising: mixing the syngaswith at least one additional gas to produce a balanced syngas comprisingpreselected gases in predetermined proportions.
 12. A method accordingto claim 11 in which said at least one additional gas comprises anatural gas-derived syngas resulting from combustion of natural gas. 13.A method according to claim 11 in which the balanced syngas is subjectedto a gas-to-liquids process to provide at least one of gasoline, dieselfuel, naphtha, and petrochemical feedstock.
 14. A method according toclaim 4 in which the raw oil sands are comminuted, prior to preheating,and screened such that only particles of the raw oil sands materialbelow a predetermined particle size are included in the oil sandmaterial.
 15. A method according to claim 4 additionally comprising,before step (d), comminuting the coked oil sands material such that onlythe coked oil sands material below a preselected particle size issubjected to the gasification.
 16. A method according to claim 4 inwhich at least a part of the barren hot oil sands material istransported to the mine for backfilling therein.
 17. A method ofprocessing raw oil sands material comprising free water and bitumenproduced from a mine, comprising: (a) preheating a preheat oil sandsmaterial comprising the raw oil sands material to between approximately100° C. and approximately 150° C. to convert the free water to steam, torelease the free water from the raw oil sands material and to form adried oil sands material from the preheat oil sands material; (b) in apredistillation process, heating the dried oil sands material to betweenapproximately 535° C. and at least approximately 600° C. to at leastpartially vaporize the bitumen, to provide atmospheric gas oil andvacuum gas oil from the bitumen, and to provide coked oil sands materialcomprising carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand; (c) in a gasifier,heating the coked oil sands material to approximately 900° C. forgasification thereof, to provide syngas comprising hydrogen and carbonmonoxide gases retaining syngas heat energy therein, and a dry barrenhot oil sands material retaining sand heat energy therein; and (d)mixing at least a portion of the barren hot oil sands material with theraw oil sands material to form the preheat oil sands material fortransferring at least a portion of the sand heat energy to the raw oilsands material, to at least partially preheat the preheat oil sandsmaterial.
 18. A method according to claim 17 in which the steam is addedto the coked oil sands material during the gasification thereof, toprovide at least a portion of the hydrogen gas in the syngas.
 19. Amethod according to claim 17 in which at least a part of the sand heatenergy in the barren oil sands material is transferred to the dried oilsands material in the predistillation process.
 20. A method according toclaim 17 in which, prior to the gasification of the coked oil sandsmaterial, at least a portion of the syngas heat energy from previouslyproduced syngas is transferred to the coked oil sands material, to heatthe coked oil sands material to between approximately 650° C. andapproximately 750° C.
 21. A method according to claim 17 additionallycomprising, before step (c), comminuting the coked oil sands materialsuch that only the coked oil sands material below a preselected particlesize is subjected to the gasification.
 22. A method according to claim17 in which at least a part of the barren hot oil sands material istransported to the mine for backfilling therein.